ABBEVILLE, La. — Defense set the tone in the Yuletide Classic championship game as the Southside Sharks defeated host Vermilion Catholic in a hard-fought matchup at Vermilion Catholic High School.
Vermilion Catholic controlled the early pace behind Zoey Thibodeaux, who scored 14 points in the first half to keep the Eagles in front during the opening minutes. Southside answered with a balanced offensive effort and sharp shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down five 3-pointers in the first quarter and adding four more in the second to score 44 first-half points.
Three Sharks reached double figures, led by Lola Damas, who finished with a game-high 19 points. Mariah Moore matched her with 19 points of her own, while Urijah Carmouche added 14 points and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“My mindset was just to let the game come to me,” Carmouche said. “I get face-guarded a lot, so I can’t rush how I play. I just stayed patient.”
Southside head coach Sean Comeaux credited the team’s resilience throughout the tournament.
“They’re gritty win or lose,” Comeaux said. “We don’t give up. When teams make a run, we respond and make them put their best players back in. That’s been our biggest positive so far this season.”
With the win, Southside improves to 11–7 entering the new year and will open district play against Kaplan.
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